Telescoping rod for curtains.



A. RISCH 'IELESCOPING ROD FOR CURTAINS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1I, 1915. 4

Patented Oct. 3,1916.

ATTO/2ND@ .i 'run s'rn'rus PATENT @WWE AUGUST RISCI-I, OF MILWAUKEE,WISCONSILL TELESCOPING ROD FOR CURTAINS.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, AUGUST Risen, a citi'- zenof the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Telescoping Rods for Curtains, Sac., of which thefollowing is a description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which are a part of this specication.

The invention relates to telescoping supports.

The invention is designed more particularly to provide a lock for a pairof telescoping rods to prevent inward or shortening movement of saidrods with respect to each other and may be used where rodsfor supportingarticles hung over them or from them are employed and is particularlyadapted for use as an adjustable curtain rod.

The invention is` further designed to provide in addition tothe lockabove described for the rods, a means for moving the sections outwardlywith respect "tjo each other tain in position, the telescoping sectionsper-4 mitting the rod to be used with windows of various widths and tobe held in place on the supports without any fastening means except thatcarried by the rod itself.

The invention further consists in the sevi eral features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view of the device embodying theinvention, showing it applied to a window as a curtain rod; Fig. 2 is anenlarged view of the device, parts being broken away and parts beingshown in section; Fig. 3 is an enlarged view ofthe device, parts beingbroken away; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the device.

The device comprises a pair of telescoping sections or rods 5 and 6,preferably of brass, slidably mounted with respect to each other andforming a support upon which a cur- Specicaton of Letters Patent.

ratentedoct. s, 191e.

Application filed November 11,` 1915. Sera1 No. 60,846.

tain or other article can be hung, means for securing the rods againstinward movement with respect to each other, means at the ends of therods for engaging a support, and means for moving the rods outwardly soas to bring their ends into irm engagement with said support.

The means for securing the rods against inward movement with respect toeach other comprises a sleeve or band 7 loosely and slidably mounted onone of the sections preferably the smaller section 5 and forming a look.The edge of this sleeve adjacent the end of the larger section 6 isinclined or tapered forming a lip portion 8 and gripping portions 9 and10. With a construction of this kind when the lip portion 8 is movedinto engagement with another member having a beveled end, it will wedgeagainst said member and be lifted upwardly, owing tothe loose connectionof said ,sleeve with the rod on which it is mounted, and bring or wedgethe portions 9 and 10 into-'gripping engagement with the rod, asshown inFig. 4. In the present instance the sleeve 7 is made of hard steel sothat it secures atight grip' upon the softer metal brass of which therod is made. While the end 11 of the rod 6 might be beveled so as togrip the lip 8 of the sleeve 7 I have shown two clamping sleeves 12 and13 which form in eflect a continuation of the rod 6,

said sleeves having beveled edges 14, one of which is adapted to engagethe lip 8 of the sleeve 7 These sleeves are independently movable withrespect to each' other and to the rods and form the means hereinafterdescribed for moving the rods outwardly so as to bring their ends intofirm engagement with the support to mount the rod thereon.

The` means at the endsof the rods for enj gaging the supports, such asthe sides 4 of a.

window, as shown in Fig. 1, or the sides of supporting brackets consistsof end pads 15, preferably of rubber which are secured to end members 16mounted on the ends of the rods 5 and 6. When the rods have beenadjusted to proper length and the sleeve lock set in position, the pads15 may be brought into frictional engagement with the side supports.

The means for moving the rods 5 and 6 outwardly so as to bring theirends into firm engagement with the side supports comprises the clampingsleeves 12 and 13 having inclined registering abutting edges 17 and 18.These edges form cam surfaces so that movement of one of said sleeveswith respect to the other will separate them. Resultantly, as the sleevelock 7 when Once brought up into position against the outer beveled edge14 of the sleeve 12 will be securely locked to the rod 5, any outwardmovement of said sleeve 7 will cause an out ward movement of the rod 5and this outward movement of the sleeve 7 will take place when one ofthe sleeves 12 or 13 is rotated with respect to the other.

The operation of the device is as follows z-The'operator irst slides therods 5 and 6 in or out until a length of rod is obtained which willeXtend across from one side support to the other and bring the ends ofthe rod sections into engagement with said side supports. Then with thesleeves 12 and 13 in the position, shown in Fig. 2, the sleeve 7 ismoved up against the sleeve 12 thereby locking the rod 5 against inwardmovement. The rod is then put in place between the supports and one ofthe cam members 12 or 18 is moved with respect to the other causing thespreading of said members and the outward movement ofthe sleeve 7 androd 5 as previously described. This outward movement of the rod 5 ofcourse increases the length of the rod and consequently brings the endsthereof into tight engagement with the side supports and in the presentinstance the rubber pads hold the ends in frictional engagement with theside supports. The spreading or lengt`hening of the rods obviates theuse of any other fastening means than that used to clamp the ends of therods to the supports. It will be noted that the sleeve, engaging withboth the rod 5 and the member 12 which together with the member 13 formsin effect a continuation of the rod 6, has a wedging engagement withsaid rods which prevents inward movement of the rod 5 with respect tothe rod 6.

The invention thus exemplifies a new and improved lock fo-r telescopingrods and which may be employed on the rods in connection with clampingmembers to form a curtain rod whose ends clampingly engage the sidesupports for the rod.

The invention is not to be restricted to the details of constructionherein set forth, it being my intention to claim it as broadly as willbe permitted by the state of the prior art.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, with a pair oftelescoping rods, of a lock for preventing inward movement of said rodswith respect to each other comprising a sleeve loosely mounted on one ofsaid rods and provided with an inclined surface for wedgingly engagingthe other rod, said sleeve also wedgingly engaging the rod on which itismounted when said rods are moved toward each other.

2. In a curtain rod, the combination, with side supports, of a rodformed of a pair of telescoping sections, a lock for preventing inwardmovement of said sections with respect to each other, and a pair ofclamping membersA mounted on one of said sections and linterposedbetween said lock and the other section, said members hav-ingregistering cam surfaces for lengthening said rod by the outwardmovement of one of said telescoping sections to thereby bring the endsof said sections into clamping engagement with said side supports.

3. The combination of a pair of telescoping rods, a sleeve looselymounted on one of said rods and having an inclined end disposed adjacentthe other rod, said sleeve having wedging engagement with said other rodat one point and having wedging engagement with the rod on which it ismounted at two points to prevent the inward movement of said rods withrespect to each other.

ln testimony whereof, I afiiX my signature.

AUGUST RISCH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

